7. Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),
8. Ebedmelech went out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,
9. “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon. He is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.”
10. Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.”
11. So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
12. Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords.”Jeremiah did so.
13. So they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon; and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
14. Then Zedekiah the king sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to himself into the third entry that is in the Lord’s house. Then the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”
15. Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? If I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”
16. So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the Lord lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”
17. Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “the Lord, the God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you will go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. You will live, along with your house.
18. But if you will not go out to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Kasdim, and they will burn it with fire, and you won’t escape out of their hand.’”
19. Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Kasdim, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.”
20. But Jeremiah said, “They won’t deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the Lord’s voice, in that which I speak to you; so it will be well with you, and your soul will live.